PKL 8: Bengal annihilate Tamil, Jaipur defeat Telugu Titans

Fans saw some top-class action in the league.

A collective performance from Bengal Warriors helped them thrash Tamil Thalaivas 52-21in match 122 of vivo Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) Season 8. Both teams were out of the playoff race even before the first whistle but Bengal took it as an opportunity to prove their mettle while Thalaivas faded away.

Captain Maninder Singh (14 points) and all-rounder Mohammad Nabibakhsh (13 points) picked Super 10s while Bengal's defence was marshalled efficiently by Abozar Mighani (6 points) and Ran Singh (4 points). The much-changed Thalaivas had a poor day on the mat with the likes of Sagar and Surjeet Singh struggling to stop the Bengal raiders.

The first half was completely dominated by Bengal Warriors. Maninder Singh and Mohammad Nabibakhsh ran riots in the Tamil defence as the Warriors raced to a quick lead. Bengal played like their chains had been cut loose – moving freely in their raids, taking aggressive defensive positions on the mat, and most importantly enjoying the process. The 2019 champions had already been knocked out of the playoff race but wanted to sign off their season on a high. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6ERcWbrGNQ

Tamil Thalaivas had no answers to Bengal’s intense pressure and succumbed to an ALL OUT in the 8th minute (via a 3-point Super Raid + 2 for ALL OUT by Nabibakhsh). Corners Ran Singh and Abozar Mighani also added to the points from the defence while at the other end Thalaivas’ Surjeet Singh and Sagar struggled. Maninder Singh crossed his Super 10 as the Warriors clinched another ALL OUT with 3 minutes to halftime. The scores were 28-10 at the interval with Bengal in cruise mode.

The mauling continued after the break with the Warriors clinching another ALL OUT in the 4th minute through a stunning raid (2+2 point) by Nabibakhsh. He also secured his Super 10 as Thalaivas brought in the changes to give their substitutes an opportunity. Himanshu and Himanshu Singh tried their best with the raids but didn’t trouble Bengal who were already with a huge lead. With 10 minutes remaining, the scores were 40-18.

Bengal got another ALL OUT with 3 minutes remaining, again through a multi-point raid by Nabibakhsh. They crossed the 50-point mark leaving their fans to wonder why this team didn’t play the same way throughout the season. Abozar Mighani got his High 5 as the Warriors sustained the pressure in the final minutes to win comfortably. 

Jaipur Pink Panthers improve their playoff chances

Arjun Deshwal was the star for Jaipur Pink Panthers as they thrashed Telugu Titans 54-35 in Match 123 of PKL Season 8. The young raider scored 14 points as the Panthers clinched an important win in their race for a Playoff spot. They find themselves in the 5th position (Top 6 qualifies) with 1 match remaining in the league stages. That encounter won’t be easy however with Puneri Paltan also eyeing a spot in the eliminators. The Titans had another disappointing outing and remain with just 1 win in the entire tournament.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUuAhCctGA4

Jaipur needed a win to remain firmly in the race for a Playoff spot and they played like a team on a mission. Their star raider Arjun Deshwal was in good form as he picked up points easily from a Titans defence missing Sandeep Kandola. They were aided by a few mistakes in the Titans defence who went out of bounds on multiple occasions.

The Panthers picked up their first ALL OUT in the 14th minute to open a healthy lead. A 3-point Super Raid by Ankit Beniwal in the 16th minute briefly gave the Titans some hope of a comeback but the fire was immediately doused by Arjun Deshwal who got a 3-point Super Raid for Jaipur. The scores were 23-11 at the interval with the Panthers preying on another ALL OUT.

The Jaipur defence also stepped up their game in the second half. The Titans were attacked from both sides as they succumbed to another ALL OUT in the 3rd minute after the restart. Arjun Deshwal picked his Super 10 as the Panthers raced to a 13-point lead. The Playoff spot certainly motivated the Panthers as they clinched their third ALL OUT with 13 minutes remaining to make it a 22-point lead.

Jaipur slowed the pace of the match which allowed Titans’ Galla Raju to fetch a few points. Panthers’ Brijendra Singh fought his level best, but Adarsh T also joined the attack for Titans to help them finally inflict an ALL OUT with under 3 minutes remaining. 

Substitute Ashok produced a 3-point Super Raid in the final move of the match to give Jaipur a memorable win. They will now be looking to beat Pune in their final match of the league stages of PKL 8.

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